Building construction and units



y 4, ms. 5. E. TURNGREN 2,440,836

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND UNITS Filed March 18, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

A 7' TORA/EVS 05cm BTURNGREN 1' Patented May 4, 1948 um TED as TATE s PATiEN T *QFFiC-FE BUILDING GONSTRUCTION AND UNITS OscariE; Turngren, Hopkins, Minn.

ApplicationMarch 18, 1946,;Serial No..655,049

.3 Claims. "1

This invention relates to toy blocks-for use by children-in building various types of constructions.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved set of building blocks. conslsting. ofanumber of difierent block shapes so arranged that the various blocks can be interlocked-one with the other to produce endless variations of building structures and models which will be self-sustaining.

The objectsand advantages of the invention will=-more=fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the various views; and in which Fig. 1 isa view in side elevation of a typical building structure that can be made by use of the blocks of the invention.

Fig. 2 is aview in front elevation of the same building-structure; and

-F-igs. 3,4,"5, 6,7, 8, -9,and 10 are perspective views of respectively different types of blocks that'are employed in pro'ducing such structures as thatshown in Figs.1 and 2, Figs. 3 to 10 being shown-in enlarged scale.

Theiblocks of the invention are made up of: a number of .different shapes, the different types of blocks being designated A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H.

The blocks A are shaped as rectangular prisms having-a-square cross section. These blocks may be made of different lengths, and for this reason the block shown inFig. 3 is broken.

The blocks B each have the shape of a right triangularprism, and these blocks may also be made of different lengths.

The blocks each are of right triangular shape inoross section and they have'ends II which are chamfered at -45 angles relative to the bases of these blocks. In Fig. 5 the block C is shown inverted. These blocks C may also be made of varying lengths.

The blocks D are of square shape in cross section and each block D has at each end a V-shaped notch l2 of right angular shape out therein so as to extend way across the block and the two notches I2 both extend in the same direction.

The blocks E are each of square shape in cross section and they have right angular notches I3 V-cut in both ends thereof to extend way across the blocks, and the two notches at opposite ends of a block E extend at right angles to each other.

The blocks F are of square shape in cross section, and each block has at one end thereof a one-half times the width of the same.

right angular notch l4 V -cut'-. therein to --extend across the same, and it has at its other end iour pyramid-shaped prongs I 5 produced by- V-cutting two right angular notches atright angles to each other in said-endpthe right angular notches ex- The projection I1 and the notch l6 extend in the same direction.

The blocks H each have the shape oftwo right triangular prisms set at right angles to each other with their bases joined.

Certain of the dimensions of the various blocks are correlated topermit, by reason of their con- 'struction, inter-locking of the various types of blocks and to permit of the building of one block upon another -so that building structures and models made from the various blocks will be selfsustaining. Thusthe blocks D, E, F, and G are all of the'same width, and while the length of these blocks may be varied, in the drawings: the lengthof these blocks is shown as being one and Also the diagonals between opposite corners of the-block A taken on a transverse section correspondto'the width of the blocks D, E, F, andjGr. Similarly the width of the bases of the-blocks'B and C and the width of the bases'of the prisms ofthe blocks H correspondtothe width of the blocks D E, -F, and G. As a result of these dimensions, when oneof -the' blocks A is fittedwit-hinpne-of the notched portions of any one of the blocks D,-E, F, or G, at the point wherethe block A is-engagedwith the other block, one-half the block A will be nested within the notched portion and'one-half of the block A willproject outwardly beyond the notched end of the particularblock D, E, F, or G within which the block A is received, and this projecting portion may in turn be received in and interlocked with the notched portion of another block D, E, F, or G. The manner of interlocking between the blocks A and neighboring blocks D, E, F, and G is illustrated in the building construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similarly one-half of the block H may be received in any of the notched portions of the blocks D, E, F, or G to leave one-half of the block H projecting beyond the notched receiving block and to permit of engagement of the projecting half of the block H in a notched portion of another block D, E, F, or G. As the two right angular prisms forming the block H extend at right angles to each other, it will be seen that one-half of the block H may be disposed within a notched portion of one of the blocks D, E, F, or G having its notched receiving portion extending in one direction while the other half of the block H may be received within a notched portion of another block D, E, F, or G having its notched receiving portion extending in a direction at' right angles to the notched receiving portion of the first block referred to.

It will also be obvious that portions of the blocks B and C may be received within any of the notched portions of the various blocks D, E, F, and G, and when so received, a block B or C will fill the notched portion unless the notched portion happens to be the end of the block F formed into the four prongs l5. By reason of the chamfered ends ll of the block C, it is possible for the pronged end of a block F to receive such a block, as the block A or H, and to also receive one of the chamfered ends I l of a block C to produce an interlocking engagement between the three blocks. This is also illustrated in the building structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It is obvious that the projection ll of the block G may be received in the notched end of any one of the blocks D, E, F, or G. It will also be obvious that by properly selecting the blocks D, E, F, and G for engagement with other blocks, interengagement between difierent blocks can be made to produce corner constructions and many other structures.

In the particular building structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the blocks A and B, supported as shown by such blocks as the blocks D and G, are interengaged to form a flat roof structure. Of course the assembly of the different blocks in many difi'erent ways is possible.

It will be seen that blocks have been provided which will be of interest to children and to others in building models of many different types.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements, and proportions of the parts without departure from the scope of the present invention which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A set of toy blocks consisting of a plurality of various types of blocks of different shapes adapted to be assembled together in interlocked relation to produce various structures and including first blocks having the shape of rectangular prisms, second blocks of square shape in cross section and having right angular notches V-cut in both ends thereof, and third blocks having the shape of two right triangular prisms set at right angles to each other with their bases joined, the notched portions of said second blocks being adapted to receive portions of both said first blocks and said third blocks.

2. A set of toy blocks consisting of a plurality of various blocks of different shapes adapted to be assembled together in interlocked relation to produce various structures and including first blocks having the shape of rectangular prisms, second blocks of square shape in cross section having right angular notches V-cut in both ends thereof, both notches in each second block extending in the same direction, third blocks of square shape in cross section having right angular notches V-cut in both ends thereof, the notches of each third block extending at right angles to each other, fourth blocks of square shape in cross section each having a right angular notch V-cut in one end thereof and a four-pr-onged opposite end produced by V-cutting two right angular notches at right angles to each other in said last mentioned blocks and the notchesof said second, third, and fourth blocks being adapted to receive said first blocks. 7

3. A set of toy blocks comprising a plurality of various blocks of difierent shapes adapted to be assembled together in interlocked relation to produce various structures and including first blocks of rectangular prism shape, second blocks of triangular prism shape, third blocks of right triangular shape in cross section and having chamfered ends, fourth blocks of square shape in cross section having right angular notches V-cut in both ends thereof, fifth blocks having the shape of two right triangular prisms set at right angles to each other with their bases joined, and sixth blocks of square shape in cross section and having a right angular notch V-cut in one end thereof, and a iour-pronged opposite end produced by V-cutting two right angular notches at right angles to each other in said last-mentioned end, the notched ends of the various notched blocks mentioned being adapted to receive said first, second, and third blocks, and the fourpronged ends of said fifth. blocks being adapted to receive at the same time the chamfered ends of two of said sixth blocks as well as a first block.

OSCAR E. TURN GREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS;

Drake Feb. 18, 1947 

